Box fastener and seal.



W. M. BROOKS BOX FASTENER AND SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED 0 i8. 1911.

Patented Jan.1,1918;.

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WINFRED MUDGE BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. J. BROOKS & 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BOX FASTENER AND SEAL.

Application filed October 18, 1917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WiNrnnD Moose BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Box Fasteners and Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices adapted to fasten boxes and at the same time to secure against tampering therewith, and more particularly to devices of this class utilizing weakening notches, such for example as shown in my Patent N0. l,1d7,1l2.

The object of the present invention is to make certain the fracturing of the device by any attempt to lift the same by a novel combination as hereinafter more fully specified.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters denote like parts in each of the figures.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a corner of a box the planks of which are secured and sealed by my improved protective device; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of two adjacent planks showing the protective device preliminarily securing the two planks previous to sealing; Fig. 3 shows a section similar to Fig. 2 in its final sealed condition; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show face, front and back views respectively of the protective device while Fig. 7 shows a face view of a slightly modified type.

The device consists of a head part d, d, two end prongs a and c and a stiffening prong b with weakening notches 21 cut on the inner side of the head part on each side of and adjacent to the stiffening prong b. The end prong a and the stiffening prong b are substantially perpendicular to the head part (Z while the end prong 0 is bent at an acute angle with the head part d, the head parts d and cl being inclined toward each other by reason of an obtuse bend over the weakening notches c on one side of the stiffening prong b.

In operation the stiffening prong and the parallel end prong are driven into the edge of one plank and side of the adjacent plank respectively as shown in Fig. 2. The end prong c is then driven home, bending the head part d over the corner of the box at the point above the weakening notches on Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Serial No. 197,273.

that side of the central prong, so that the head parts (Z and (Z lie snugly against the sides of the box.

The stiffening prong 6 adjacent to the weakening notches o secures the weakened portion of the head part and is adapted to eliminate all spring from the head part such as would normally be found if it were secured only at its ends. Thus any attempt to lift either end prong will necessitate an unbending of the head part at the central prongs junction therewith, with resulting fracture from the weakening notches.

The stiffening prong Z) can of course be pointed to facilitate driving as shown in Fig. 7 and the device need not necessarily be made from wire. The head parts (Z and d are readily adapted to being flattened and embossed with the name, etc, of the user,

which flattening stiffens the head part and adds to the efficiency of the device.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a box fastener and seal having a plurality of prongs and ahead part with weakening notches, a stiffening prong adjacent to said weakening notches adapted to secure and stiffen said head part at that point.

2. In a box fastener and seal the combination of a relatively long head part, inclined prongs at its extremities, a plurality of weakening notches on the inner side of said head part and a stiffening prong adjacent to said weakening notches adapted to secure and stiffen the head part at that point.

3. A box fastener and seal having a long obtusely bent head part, three prongs in the same plane with said head and weakening notches cut on the inner side of said head on each side of said middle stiffening prong.

l. A box fastener and seal comprising a long head bent obtusely near its center, flattened and suitably embossed on either side of said bend, having three prongs in the same plane, one at each end and one stifiening prong near said central bend and a plurality of weakening notches on the inner side of said head adjacent to and on each side of said stiffening prong.

5. box fastener and seal having in combination, a long head bent obtusely near its center with embossed portionS on each side of said bend, two end prongs and a stiffening prong integral with and in the same plane with said head located at its ends and near said central bend, two adjacent prongs being substantially parallel while the third on the other extremity inclines from its junction with said head toward the other prongs and a plurality of weakeningnotches cut on the inner side of said head adjacent to and on each side of said stifl'ening prong.

6. A box fastener and seal consisting of a piece of suitable wire bent to form a long head part, a stiffening prong formed by doubling said wire on itself centrally, weakening notches cut on the inner side of said head adjacent to and on each side of said stiffening prong and end prongs, all substantially as specified.

7. A box fastener and seal consisting of one piece of suitable metal wire bent to form an obtuse angled head part having a closely doubled portion bent from it to form a stiffening prong and its extremities bent down to form end prongs, all of said prongs and said head part being in the same plane, one of said end prongs parallel to said stiffening prong while the other end prong inclines toward it at an acute angle with the head part, said head part being weakened against unbending by notches cut on its inner side and stiflfened at the point weakened by the stiffening prong adjacent to said weakening notches.

8. A box fastener and seal consisting of one piece of suitable wire bent to form an obtuse angled head part having a closely doubled portion bent from it near said'obtuse bend to form a stifi'ening prong, said head part being flattened and suitably enr bossed on each side of said central bend and stiffening prong, end prongs bent from each end of said head part, one end prong and said stiffening prong being on one side of said obtuse bend and substantially perpendicular to their part of said head part, the other end prong being bent at an acute angle with its part of the head part and inclined toward said stiffening prong, weakening notches cut in the inner side of said head part on the inner side of said obtuse bend adjacent to said stiffening prong and on the other side of said stiffening prong in the bend between said prong and head part, said weak ening notches being held in operation by said stiflening prong in close fixed contact with the box sealed, all substantially as hereinbefore specified.

VVINFRED MUDGE BROOKS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

